The Italian reckons the Blues have been the best team in the Premier League for the past 'four or five years' and he has previously claimed to have built the core of manager Manuel Pellegrini 's current team.

City have made it to the last eight of the Champions League for the first time. But the Inter Milan boss says he would prefer to see Leicester win this season's Premier League title than see the Blues taste victory in Europe's elite competition.

Mancini, who played just five times for the Leicester in 2001, led City to a first league title in 44 years in 2012.

Leicester are five points clear in the Premier League with eight games to play, while the Blues are off the pace in fourth but gunning for the Champions League having been paired with Paris St Germain.

But Mancini told BBC Sport: "If I could only choose one it would be Leicester.

"(Leicester boss) Claudio Ranieri is a good man.

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"He knows football very well. I hope he will be the third Italian to do it. For a team like Leicester to win the Premier League against the biggest teams like Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal, it would be incredible."

Mancini failed to lead City out of the group stage in his two Champions League campaigns as City boss and added: "Manchester City have been the best team in the Premier League in the last four or five years but it takes time to be a top club in the Champions League.

"Even if you have good players like City, you still can't win the Champions League after two years."